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Cancer meds unavailable

I cannot get the cancer meds I’ve been prescribed. When I went to pick up my monthly prescription two days ago the pharmacist told me that he has been unable to get any Bicalutamide tablets for the last 3 weeks. When I tried again the following day he’d still not been able to source any.

I’ve been on Bicalutamide, which are hormone therapy tablets for prostate cancer, for almost 3 years and have to take a 150mg dose once a day, every day. They are helping to keep me alive and are something I need. I do not keep a hoard but get them as I need them, so I have no back up supply.

My cancer is the most common cancer amongst men in the UK with over 47,000 of us being diagnosed with it every year in this country alone and Bicalutamide is one of the main drug medications used to control it. I searched online and found the “shortage” started about a month ago, not just of the pills I have to take but of around 100 different drugs that treat prostate cancer, breast cancer and mental health conditions, so there must be thousands of us affected by this.

From what I’ve read (click here), the “shortage” looks like it’s been caused deliberately. The drug companies want more money but the UK Government or NHS England, or whoever it is that orders drugs for our NHS, says either there isn’t any more or they’re not prepared to pay the price. Meanwhile those of us who depend on our meds to keep us alive or functioning normally physically or mentally are stuck in the middle.

I don’t know the rights and wrongs, the why and the wherefore, I depend and rely on others to ensure our NHS is properly resourced, in this case with drugs, but it feels to me like someone high up isn’t doing their job properly. Whatever the reasons, it should never have got to the stage where patients are used as pawns and medicines become unavailable.

I saw my oncologist just last Wednesday before I knew of the “shortage” and, when I asked, was told I definitely cannot have a break from treatment (my cancer is not a well behaved one). Maybe the couple of days I’ve not had my meds so far won’t make a difference to me, I honestly don’t know, but I have no idea how long it will be before I can get the pills and this enforced break is causing me great stress and anxiety, which is exactly what I’m told i should be avoiding.